#morgsele

[loosesodamarble]

Was tagged by @thoughtfullyrainynightmare in a tag game using this picrew. Tumblr decided to catch me in its webbed site state and prevent me from interacting with the post so I had to start fresh. Sorry that this place is working against us, Laura.

At first, my add on was just going to be Morgsele and Nacsele. Which are here...

(Ooohhh... Look at Morgen showing a little skin~! Only for Josele, obviously. And Nacht looking so unsure/hesitant with the kiss but Josele readily accepts him.)

But then I also thought "hey since I'm making a post all my own why not also throw in an attempt at 'me' kissing one of the otome men I like?"

There was an attempt to recreate Il Fado de Rie.

I shall tag @mikuyuuss and @artistic-endchamber and anyone else interested in joining for this tag game~!

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

I'm here for a third time, Laura! Hope I'm not a bother. 😅 I just really like reading your thoughts and seeing your content.

But! This time, I'm here to ask for a oneshot from Option #1 of your anniversary event. Could I get an order of Josele x Morgen gin&tonic (hurt-comfort) set at a party/ball, with a side order of reminiscing (maybe thinking about their first date or dance together)?

Hiya Erika~!! ^^

Of course you're not a bother!! I love having you around. And I hope you find this to do justice for Morgsele. Pairing: Morgen x Josele; Morgsele Prompt: Gin&Tonic (hurt-comfort) at a party with a dance and reminiscing their first date, which ends with a kiss Fanfic type: Oneshot Length: ~1.5k Warnings: umm... angsty? Does that count?

Evening. Dark in every other aspect but the slowly disappearing sun in the horizon and the lights of the Grey Deer headquarters. A little ball, or at least a party, to which Morgen had asked Josele to accompany him. Though perhaps someone might have argued that it was only expected that she would have joined him, Morgen had still thought it to be only right to properly request her presence. Which she had of course accepted without a doubt.

She was wearing a light grey dress with an asymmetrical hem, going all the way to the floor on one side, and staying right below the knee on the other. The surface was light, composed of large ruffles, over which there was a mesh that glittered in any light they passed, much like a starry sky.

He, on the other hand, was wearing a formal outfit. A jacket, white, of course, light grey vest that tinted a bit towards blue under it, and a white dress shirt and pants. It was all a tad bit more structured and stiff than what he preferred, but it was a formal event. And one simply couldn’t go about such a rare event in everyday clothes, granted that there were more than enough opportunities for balls and parties for nobles.

But this seemed more special. Because this was one among the knights. The people he spent a lot of time with, unlike the nobles he knew barely by name.

Though, the knights, would perhaps been more accepting in him wearing something more casual, since they were his friends and knew him. But still, he wanted to look the part.

Look the part of a man, who deserved to be with someone like Josele.

Everyone should see how wonderful she truly is, he thought as he led her through the dance floor that evening. And surely they do. They’d be blind, if they didn’t.

He closed his eyes in a slow blink, smiling like he usually did, in his opinion at least. But as she saw Josele give him a curious smirk, he knew that the smile must’ve been wider, or perhaps just ‘more radiant’.

‘More radiant’… it’s only because it’s your light, reflected off of me… he thought with yet another tender, slightly amused manner, but only amused in its utter happiness. Truly I am… a lucky man…how did I ever manage to gain the permission to walk by you?

There was a pause, just a brief one, until he felt her hand on his cheek. “Momo… is everything okay?” She asked with a whisper, making him chuckle, although with a hint of melancholy in it still, despite the way the corner of his mouth tugged up.

She really does notice… and it’s not just because of her magic… Or rather, it’s because the magic she possesses in herself, not just her affinity. The magic that’s more than magic, more than mana.

“Yes, my heart, everything is alright,” he told her, while taking a hold of hand and bringing it to his lips to press a gentle kiss to the back of it.

“Are you certain?” She still inquired with a curious, and worry laced, expression.

“Yes,” he replied, but with less confidence this time. “But… let’s go, for a bit, to somewhere more secluded.” He tugged along away from the dancefloor, away from prying eyes, but in the movement there was still the gentlemanly grace that allowed them to slip by without notice. It was as if they would have flowed through the space with such grace and ease that it seemed only natural. As if thieves in the night.

And so, he led her down the corridors, away from the ballroom and into the garden, lit by nothing more than the moon, the stars, and a few lanterns here and there.

“So, will you tell me what’s wrong?” She asked while holding his hand; gripping it gently, to let him know that she was there.

“I…” he replied, half sighed, “I was honest when I said that nothing is wrong. But I am…perhaps a bit sombre.”

“Oh?” She uttered. “About?” There was curiosity in her tone this time, a bit brighter than a moment before.

“About… the passage of time, I suppose,” he replied as they continued to walk through the garden. “It seems like it was only yesterday that I took you out on our first date,” he smiled, but it was a smile filled with gentle melancholy. “I was quite nervous, despite us having known for years,” he admitted, laughed even a little bit.

“So was I,” she admitted as her gaze fell to the ground for a passing moment as they walked, but there was a smile on her lips. “Because it wasn’t … just us as friends anymore then, it was us as a couple.”

He hummed in agreement. “It was us as… what I hoped would become us as a couple,” he corrected her with a hint of amusement.

“You hoped?” She quirked an eyebrow. “And I thought that I was considered as the undeserving one, you being noble and all,” she joked, with a hint of truth in it.

“To the blind,” he replied. “That’s the thing about you Josele,” it had been so long since he had called her by her, entire, given name, instead of a nickname. “You’re so… humble and modest that you don’t see your own greatness and light.” He thought out loud, and a part of her wanted to banter, to make a joke, but … the way Morgen said it, the way his words held quiet sombre, filled with certainty, that she decided to stay quiet. “I am lucky, to have you by my side,” he said, stopping, but keeping his hold of her hand, and gently guiding her to face him. “And, at times I… don’t think you quite realize how much you mean to me, quite know just how… great you are, which I suppose is a mere reflection of my shortcomings in making you see it,” there was an attempt of a joke in there, but Josele, even after all the years of knowing him, wasn’t quite sure how to reply to him, in that moment, in that dimply lit garden, in the barely escaped light of the world in which he was her light, and she was his.

“Momo I…”

“I was terrified,” he told her, “on the day we had out first date,” he admitted. “Because there was no going back from it. It was the, very much a, do or die moment. For from that moment on, being simply friends wasn’t an option, and I wished and hoped and pleaded for this future with all my heart and soul and I…” he swayed his head, from side to side, and looked her in the eye… But words… they seemed to fail him. “And now… we’re here.”

The way he said ‘here’, made it seem like the present, the ‘now’ was concrete. In a way that she was aware of it. Right here and now.

“That day seems like it was both, an eternity ago, and only yesterday.” He continued, not sure where he was going.

“And… now?” She asked with a whisper, not quite sure what she had meant with it either. But somehow it had seemed like a sensible question. After all, they were there. Right there. In that moment. But something had to succeed that moment. Something needed to come after it.

One doesn’t just jump from the edge of the pier and stay in mid-air. Something happens, afterwards.

“And now… we see,” he said, while squeezing her hands. “I’m not… sure, where our journey ends us, but... with you, I'm sure that I’ll be happy with whatever fate has instore for us,” he smiled to her. And in that smile radiated nothing but confidence. Because he was sure, that he’d be happy with her. She was his heart, his light in the world, the light of a Light Mage.

He was sure, that he’d be happy with her, on their common journey.

“I love you, Josele. I have, for a long, long time, and I will love you, until my breath is only with the wind, my bones are embraced by the roots, and when flowers will bloom from my grave, and even beyond that. I am, happy,” he told her. “And I am the luckiest man on earth, to have you,” he added.

And she was left speechless. Only a tear of joy rolled down her cheek as a reply before she leaned in for a kiss, and he followed the movement. All the way until their lips met in a tender, secure kiss in a world that held hope of a bright future for them.

[loosesodamarble]

Morgen: Good morning, Yami. Yami: Mornin'. You're looking real happy today. Morgen: Because I am happy! For you see, Josele and I have officially started dating! Yami: Hm. That's nice. Morgen: I can't wait to tell everyone! I just want to gush about her! Yami: Just don't be too annoying about it. Morgen: What makes you think I'll be annoying? Yami: ... Just my opinion... ..... Morgen and Josele: (patrolling the streets) Fuegoleon: (patrolling the same street) Morgen: Oh! Hello there, Lord Fuegoleon! Fuegoleon: Good day. You're...Morgen of House Faust, correct? Morgen: Indeed! (gestures to Josele) And this radiant lady here is my girlfriend, Josele! Josele: (blushes) M-Morgen... Fuegoleon: I see. It's a pleasure to meet you. Though pardon, miss, I can't say I recognize you. Which house are you from? Josele: Oh, I'm not a noble. Morgen: But that doesn't make you any less noble-hearted, my sweet. You're a kind, brave, wonderful girl who makes my days brighter! That's more important than any noble blood! Josele: Aw~! Thank you! Fuegoleon: ... Well, I shall be taking my leave. More streets to patrol, after all! ..... Nozel and Morgen: (recovering from a battle with Diamond) Morgen: (casting a healing spell on Nozel) Your skill is second to none, Lord Nozel. Nozel: Thank you. And you fought quite fiercely too. Morgen: I told my lover that I'd return to her, so I had to. Nozel: You have a partner? Morgen: Yes! Her name is Josele and she's the love of my life and I can't wait to see her again! Ah, just the thought of her smile heals me. And the knowledge that I will be by her side again makes me- Nozel: That's enough. You need not relay your entire love affair to me. ..... At an awards ceremony... Jack: Keh. Congrats on the promotion. Didn't think a soft-looking guy like you could get so far. Morgen: Uh, thanks? Jack: By the way... isn't there usually a chick hanging with you? Yami, Nozel, Fuegoleon: (overhear and look over in panic) Morgen: Oh, you must mean my girlfiend Josele! Have you had a chance to meet her? Yami, Fuegoleon, Nozel: (stand a way's back and gesture for Jack to end the conversation) Jack: … Do I want to meet her? Morgen: You should want to! She’s the sweetest, funniest, most beautiful- Yami: And he’s stuck. Fuegoleon: There’s worse things Lord Morgen could speak of. Nozel: But are any of them more annoying?

[loosesodamarble]

A self-indulget, OC-centric addendum

So this is my addendum to by BC chapters 374-376 post and I will be talking about how my oc, Josele, fits into the situation that played out in those chapters.

So for anyone who isn’t aware Josele is my main Black Clover and is shipped with both Nacht and Morgen. Yes, you read that right. See, I can't pick a favorite between the two so Josele gets both.

So I want to start with a overview of the relationship dynamic between Nacht, Morgen, and Josele.

Josele's role in Morgen and Nacht’s lives is in a similar vein to Yami: she is a shared friend to the twins that keep them in proximity and gives them an indirect connection to each other. Except well, Josele is a romantic interest to both Nacht and Morgen. 

Like any good romantic interest character, Josele is someone that sees a different side of the Fausts that others don’t see. For Morgen, she doesn’t see him as a perfect man but as a normal person trying their best and dealing with the assumptions made about him. She shows Morgen the care that he gives others and lets him indulge in his selfish wishes (namely their romantic relationship). For Nacht, Josele sees past his delinquency to know that he is nicer than he lets on and lonelier than he admits. She gives Nacht her time to soothe his loneliness as best she can and thanks him for small acts of kindness he does show.

The fact that both Nacht and Morgen love Josele is another means of characterizing them. Because their feelings affect them in vastly different ways. Morgen’s love is something freeing to him; with Josele, there are no grand expectations for him to live up to and so he allows himself to love her as openly as he can, not for anyone else but just the two of them. Morgen loving Josele builds him up. For Nacht, his feelings are a burden to him. He compares himself to Morgen, seeing himself as undeserving of loving Josele or being loved by her, so he feels guilty about his love and hides it. Nacht’s love for Josele further tears him down.

Don’t worry, Josele isn’t just giving to Nacht and Morgen, they give back to her. While Josele sees deeper parts of the Fausts, the twins bring out the parts of Josele that she would’ve been hesitant to show on her own. She used to be a shy girl but the twins’ friendship brought out the spirited and loving heart that had been hiding. Morgen’s love made Josele’s hope and romanticism stronger. And Nacht was key in breaking the curse Josele had placed on her heart.

With the general overview of Josele and the Fausts’ relationship covered, now to talk about Josele’s place in the actual chapters.

Now of course, I would have Josele join in on the battle. I would have to be insane to put her anywhere else during the arc. Heck, I already have Morgen stepping away from the battlefield to reunite with her. So he just has to pick her up and fly back to Clover’s capital where she and Yami can team up to (try) and fight Morgen. Josele and Morgen were together and even got engaged before Morgen’s death. She blamed herself for being unable to save him. Morgen’s return as a Paladin leaves Josele’s conflicted—a part of her wishing he could stay alive and a part of her knowing that him returning to death is the right thing—but she’d still bring herself to fight him. But even with Josele at her best and working with Yami, it’s not enough to beat Morgen.

If/when I find time to write this, I’d have Morgen hesitate to hurt Josele because the part of the real him that loves her is present. But he’d eventually fall under the sway of Lucius’s brainwashing and go for a near-kill. Morgen would unleash a devastating attack and leave Josele to either rethink her decision to stand against Lucius or die. Nacht and Ichika would then enter the fray. Ichika still goes to her brother obviously. But I still have to figure out whether Nacht goes to Josele to help her back on her feet or to try stalling Morgen and the Lucius clone as he does in canon. I can reason myself in either direction but that’s for my brain, not this post. Anyways, with all five combatants (Morgen, Nacht, Yami, Ichika, and Josele) on the field, the true battle commences.

Now that’s just the plot-related things that Josele gets up to. There’s more going on with her thematically.

Josele does stick out as an only child in a battle of siblings (the Yami siblings working together and the Fausts working against each other). But she still has her place. 

Josele joins Yami and Nacht as another who lost Morgen. She is more like Nacht in that Morgen’s death weighs heavy on her and she sees Paladin Morgen as just Morgen, the one she loves, and not as Lucius’s puppet. But she still has her own distinct stance in the fight. Where Yami quickly accepts Morgen as the enemy and Nacht needs a moment to himself to prepare his resolve, Josele fights with hesitation as she wishes the situation was different. That Morgen could’ve come back as himself. A futile desire but it’s what’s on her mind.

Something else about Josele, Yami, and Nacht is their relation to time. For starters, how the loss of Morgen affects the three of them can be associated with a point in time (past, present, and future). Nacht lost the brother he had all his life (past). Yami lost the friend and partner he was working with at the time (present). And Josele lost her fiance and the life they hoped to share (future). The trio dynamic is then changed after that. Nacht still represents the past, past sins always on his mind and influencing his actions. But Yami and Josele switch the present and future. I do say that Yami has his thoughts in the present, but I see his character being more about working towards the future, he’s in the present but doesn’t linger there, pushing forward instead. After all, when he left Hino he didn’t say anything like “don’t know what I’ll do now” but talks about how he’ll get stronger and eventually see Ryuuya again. Yami is a man with the future in mind. As for Josele, she only went through the motions day-to-day due to her curse. She couldn’t recall her past or consider her future. Even after breaking her curse, she doesn’t focus on the past or future, instead dedicating herself to fully living in the present world she’s regained. 

I never actually intended to create this time-based trinity for the three survivors but when I realized it, it made me giddy, knowing how well Josele could fit into the dynamic Yami and the Fausts already have.

While not as deep, there’s also connections she has with Ichika. Like Ichika, Josele faced a tragedy and misattributed the blame of it, except she blamed herself instead of another the way Ichika did. Yami also makes sure both women have someone to watch their back when they get left by someone they love. Yami had to leave Ichika in Ryuuya’s care and when Nacht left for Spade Kingdom, Yami was the one who took care of Josele. I love that with Josele, Yami can do the same thing that Ryuuya did for him, and do it for Nacht. A chain of friends helping each other, you know! Again, unintentional but awesome connection!

Sin. Punishment. Atonement. Those are the main themes that Nacht’s character centers on. An idea that’s not as prominent but still related to Nacht’s arc is that of forgiveness. Long story short: while he did seek atonement, Nacht avoided forgiveness despite it not being his place to ask for it or deny it if it’s given to him. In their dynamic, Josele is the forgiver and Nacht is the forgiven (despite not asking for it and even rejecting it for a time). Josele forgives Nacht to lessen his guilt and suffering. Still, she knows that it’s ultimately up to Nacht to forgive himself and release the last of his pain. Only… Nacht has determined that he will hold onto his pain forever.

The pain of losing Morgen and the guilt of taking his life are with Nacht forever. It’s something that Josele wholly accepts, as she will love every part of him. And she does know, at least partially, what it’s like. Josele’s grief over Morgen and (incorrectly) thinking herself responsible for not saving him are also part of her. A physical representation of that ever-present grief is seen in the effects that her curse and devil contract have on her magic.

So during the battle against Morgen, Josele will get a moment with Nacht. Yami would’ve already said that Nacht has to be the one to stop Morgen (and I mean as the one borrowing anti-magic it really does have to be him). But Josele will tell Nacht that she won’t allow him to suffer forever on his lonesome. If Nacht is going to kill Morgen, she will commit to the same sin.

“Shoulder the pain if you must,” Josele would tell him, “but let me take on the burden with you. We’re in this together. I am your wife, after all.”

Nacht can’t argue. There’s no time for arguing on the battlefield. And Nacht can’t deny Josele’s resolve. So he nods and agrees.

Josele will end up adding a bit of her own magic to the combo spell Nacht, Yami, and Ichika already have going. With her adding her Emotion Magic, I’ll call the spell “Dreadful Walpurgis Night.”

With the combo spell fired off, Nacht and Josele would close in and send off Morgen. They kill him, but it is out of love for him and the man they know him to be. Morgen’s spirit would be set free and he would say goodbye to his brother and his beloved, relieved that they are able to truly be together in both love and pain.

Once again, Nacht and Josele are forced to grieve Morgen. Morgen’s first death was followed by the two of them growing apart, as Nacht thoughtlessly accused Josele of not saving Morgen and ran away in regret. This time, however, Nacht and Josele are both taking the blame and will be there to comfort each other through it.

(Also, Yami will make sure they don’t stay mopey on the battlefield for long. And Ichika will wonder what the hell the situation is between Josele and the twins.)

And that concludes my self-indulgent addendum to my original post about chapters 374-376! I know that this being centered on my own oc means that not many people will be interested in it. But I wrote this for myself, so it doesn’t really matter if anyone else shows interest. Writing this post has made me love Black Clover more, made me love the Fausts more, and made me love Josele more so I’m glad I went through with it!

But, to those of you who cared enough to read, thank you for your time. Hopefully you got something out of me talking about my girl Josele and her place in these chapters and with the characters involved.

[loosesodamarble]

This is me answering all of the questions from my thematic oc ask game, for Josele specifically.

1. What is the main color associated with them? What connections with that color do they share? Josele’s main color association is blue, think cobalt. Not too dark or light, right in the middle. Blue is associated with sensitivity (fitting her magic), peace (despite having strong emotions, she could keep them in check), and sorrow (reflecting the tragedy in her life). Also, despite being seen as a masculine color now, blue was actually once associated with femininity so it represents Josele’s masculine and feminine aspects.

Josele’s secondary color is brown. Brown is associated with feelings of security, resilience, and reliability. Josele strives to be a person whom others can depend on and be protected by. She’s also a physically resilient though her heart is more fragile and needs help finding safety for her that. Brown is also associated with Josele because brown is a mix of multiple colors and Josele’s Emotion Magic is essentially a mix of many elemental attributes.

2. Drawing from the language of flowers, what flower would symbolize them? I associate Josele with the star flower.

The star flower, also called amsonia, is the perfect flower for Josele. Blue is Josele’s primary color and she’s associated with stars (which I will elaborate on later). The star flower’s meaning/symbolism is “endurance, strength, and determination.” Josele endured a lot in her life, physically injuries and emotional losses. She faces a great deal of hardship and while she does stumble (her curse if her biggest fault), she still pulls through. She’s physically strong but also has a strong spirit as her curse isn’t able to fully erase her emotions and kindness. And her determination to help others is one of the things that keeps her going even while cursed.

3. What real life animal would they be represented by? I’ve mentioned it before but Josele would be represented by deer, in general and not a specific species. They are animals known for their grace and are often used as symbols of gentleness. Josele, even when cursed, is a caring individuals. In Buddhism, they represent happiness and harmony, something which Josele seeks after and eventually attains. Deer can also be associated with strength, usually male bucks with their antlers.

4. What mythical creature would they be represented by? It’s not entirely due to Josele herself, but she is associated with kitsune from Japanese mythology. Kitsune in Japanese myth sometimes transform into or possess women, usually to prey on men. It’s similar to how Almatra (who has a fox-like true form) possesses Josele’s body through their devil contract. One famous kitsune story is about Tamamo-no-mae who becomes a favored individual in the emperor’s court but her presence makes him sickly as she tried to take the emperor’s life force. Josele is much like the emperor, afflicted with the presence of fox-like Almatra and her Blight Magic. Kitsune aren’t always malicious or tricksters and can be aligned with good, and that’s Josele using Almatra’s Blight Magic for Magic Knight duties.

5. Which body part are they associated with? Hands. Josele is physically strong and hands are symbolic for strength (in my experience at least). But also, I see hands as a symbol for connection. “Reaching out to one another.” “Take my hand.” “Lend a helping hand.” Thoughts like that. Josele used to be someone who so easily reached out to help others but with her curse, she has closed herself off. Now, she is the one who needs to be reached out to. And Josele needs to take the hands of those who want to help her so they can bring her out of the dark place she put herself in.

6. Which of the four seasons best fits them? The best season for Josele is spring. It’s the season of life and rebirth. Josele’s true self is happy, kind, and full of life, like the world in the spring. But currently, she’s trapped in a state opposite to herself, an emotional winter of sorts. Depressed from the loss of Morgen and emotionless from her curse, Josele is without spirit or life. Plus, she is using Blight Magic with takes life away from the world around her. When she’s freed from Almatra and her curse, Josele is essentially reborn. Just like flowers blooming in the spring, Josele’s emotions are allowed to flourish again and she is able to truly live to the fullest.

7. What time of day are they associated with? Dawn, when the sun is rising. Josele loves watching both the sunrise and sunset but she is better suited with the sunrise. Just like how spring is about renewal, the dawn is about hope. Josele must find the hope and strength of heart to continue towards the future. The light of dawn is gentler than full daytime as well. Finally, there’s the saying that “it’s darkest before the dawn.” Josele loses a great deal (Morgen, her magic, her emotions, her father, and even Nacht’s presence when he leaves for Spade) before she finds happiness and love once more.

8. Which of the seven heavenly virtues are they associated with? Do they embody that virtue or are they trying to learn it? Josele’s greatest virtue is her charity. She does her best to love all people in a general sense, serving the greater good above all else. She can’t perfectly love and know about all people individually, but she can care for society as a whole. From there, Josele developed an altruistic nature, willing to make sacrifices for the sake of helping others. Sometimes, she’s resorted to less upright means, such as using Forbidden Magic, but it was done to continue working as a Magic Knight. Josele isn’t entirely without personal wants but she puts others above herself more often than not. Charity is a pure form of love she can give to everyone.

9. Which of the seven deadly sins are they associated with? Is it a negative trait of theirs or something they actively struggle with? The sin Josele is associated with is sloth. I explain it here but I’ll still give a quick summary. Josele is mentally slothful. She wallowed in misery and then lets herself suffer from her curse and the presence of a devil. She doesn’t really have that much desire to do much aside work.

10. Are they closer to life or death? Although she is associated with the season of spring, Josele is closer to death. Her mother died when she was still young, then came Morgen’s death which sent her into a downward spiral, she killed her own spirit through her curse, and the magic she gained from her devil contract is Blight Magic. Also, in order for Josele to be reborn later on, she must first die.

11. Land, sea, or sky? Of the realms of the world, which one does the character belong to? Josele belongs to the land. The stable ground from which life is born, where plants take root and many animals make their homes. She has traversed the forest since her childhood. Josele is also grounded; she has strong emotions but she takes in the world around her as it is

The land is more tangible than the other realms. One can feel the flow of water or a breeze but water slips through one’s fingers and air can’t be grasped. Josele wants the things she care about to be something she can grasp, like soil or stone. Although she can sense people’s emotions through her magic, Josele prefers hearing people’s feelings spoken outright, as it feels more real. And she prefers receiving affection through touch, to be able to feel someone held in her arms and place her forehead against theirs.

12. Are they the sun, moon, stars or something else in space? Josele is associated with stars. Josele is like a light. She is happy, kind, and admired. But she’s not as strong a light like Morgen, who is associated with the sun. However, Josele is still able to shine. Stars are far off, distant objects, lightyears from Earth. And though Josele is physically present, her feelings being locked away makes her emotionally distant from people, even if deep down she doesn’t want that. Stars are a popular symbol of hope, a repeated theme/concept connected to Josele. There is hope for Josele’s curse to break and she must find a way to have hope again.

Josele being the stars also aligns her well with Morgen and Nacht. Morgen is the sun and technically, the sun is another star that’s just much closer to Earth. Josele and Morgen are similar in that they are shining lights. Meanwhile, Nacht is the moon, accompanying Josele as the stars in the night sky. The stars and moon are gentler, somewhat lonelier lights. Finally, Nacht calls Josele “my star.”

13. Instead of your standard four elements, consider what kind of metal represents your character. Josele is represented by steel. It is strong and durable like Josele is. She’s on the muscular side and can take a beating in a fight. Josele’s heart is also strong with emotions. Her despair over losing Morgen was so overpowering for her. Another aspect of steel is how dangerous it is. Josele is dangerous mostly due to Almatra and the deadly Blight Magic that she has. But wielding a sword on it’s own it still quite threatening. Finally, there is the fact that steel is a refined alloy of other metals. Josele, upon breaking her curse, is able to take her sorrows and joys, pain and love, to become stronger than she was before. She hones herself and becomes more than what she was once through her tribulations.

14. Regardless of whether or not they wield any, what kind of weapon do you associate them with? Naturally, Josele is associated with swords. She can wield a variety of weapons but her primary one is a sword. Swords are the “standard” weapon in fiction and Josele is a simple, straightforward woman. Being the stereotypical weapon for knights, swords have connotations of courage and justice, which Josele believes in. Swords also symbolize power and protection, and Josele uses her strength to protect others. Finally, swords are a close quarters weapon. Josele is about physical closeness and intimacy to reflect emotional closeness to the ones she loves.

15. Pick an article of clothing to represent them. What does it mean? I would have Josele represented by a sash, a piece of cloth that can be worn over the shoulder or around the waist. Josele’s outfit actually includes a sash for her belt from which her sword is held. As for what a sash means, I see it as a symbol for adaptability (because it can be worn in two ways) since Josele’s latent Emotion Magic is flexible in the way it creates multiple elements. I also associate sashes with connection. Sashes are often tied when they’re worn and people become tied through knowing one another. Josele’s arc involves her becoming more closely tied to the Black Bulls in order to break her curse.

16. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and anything between. What kind of dish are they? Josele would be a supper. Compared to “dinner,” “supper” has a more home-y, informal feel. Josele is a commoner, rough and simple. She would cook a comfy, home-y supper for her loved ones. Supper being an evening meal also creates the sense of winding down from a long day of work. Supper is a welcoming, comforting meal to help one wind down in my mind. And that’s the kind of vibe Josele (especially post curse) would give off.

17. What instrument would be used in their leitmotif? I imagine that a leitmotif for Josele would involve an acoustic guitar. It seems like a simple instrument at first but guitars can convey a great range of emotions through the chords played on them. Guitars can play energetic, upbeat melodies or slow, melancholy ballads. Similarly, Josele is a straightforward individual but she has deep emotions and her Emotion Magic is quite complex in how it works. There’s also a universality to the guitar and Josele is a person who wants to do good to as many people as possible.

18. Which card would they be from the major arcana of tarot cards? Just like her space motif is stars, the major arcana that Josele is associated with is The Star.

In the upright position, The Star stands for hope, faith, purpose, renewal, and spirituality. Josele’s Emotion Magic connects her to the human spirit/soul. Cursing herself and then breaking the curse is her being renewed. She’s always had a purpose in serving others but also finds purpose in living for her own happiness. Faith, and connection, in others helps Josele break her curse. And hope for a brighter future is a major theme in her character.

In the reversed position, The Star stands for a lack of faith, despair, self-trust, disconnection. Morgen’s death caused Josele to lose faith in herself, her abilities and heart. She fell into despair from there and became disconnected from the people and world around her when she cursed herself.

19. Which of the four temperaments are they? Josele, under normal circumstances, has elements of both the sanguine and phlegmatic, being people-oriented and an ambivert (between extrovert and introvert).

From sanguine, Josele gets her energetic, passionate, and adventurous aspects, as well as the springs and morning associations. She can be unruly and impulsive too (though that was a bigger problem in her youth). Her sanguine side is stronger in her youth, before she cursed herself.

From phlegmatic, Josele gets her peacefulness, kindness, and empathic side. Her stubbornness and sometimes passivity (in negative cases) also come from this temperament. It’s also the one associated with the role of the mother in the family, and Josele is a pseudo-mother figure to the Black Bulls (if a distant one). She leans much more towards phlegmatic, especially in adulthood.

The two temperaments share traits of being friendly, forgiving, and emotionally available. Both temperaments tend to also be very giving, too much to a point of fault. Generally, they are the more optimistic temperaments and are highly responsive.

While under her curse, Josele is more melancholic. Passive and detached from the world. She remains polite but can be blunt and is always distant.

20. What word/phrase is central to their character? Josele got the advice from her mother that “every feeling matters.” She still has to remember this advice, but what’s just as important to Josele is the idea that it’s emotions that connect people. Josele locking away her feelings made it difficult for her to remember and connect to people. Feelings are important to just for the individual but for everyone around them. It’s by opening up to others, sharing feelings with those around her, that Josele’s curse gets broken. To summarize that idea, the phrase that is central to Josele’s character is “your heart is meant to be connected to the hearts of others.”

[loosesodamarble]

Omni luci est umbra Chapter 2: The Doe

Summary: Josele does a bit of work. It gets pretty messy but Josele doesn't mind. So long as Morgen doesn't find out about it. Genre: general, romance Word count: ~3000 Content warnings: usage of guns and knives, somewhat graphic depiction of violence Previous chapter | Next chapter (tbp)

..........

It was yet another normal day for Josele. One of going into work and helping those who needed help, correcting the mistakes people made, and generally doing her best with the skills she had. That morning hadn’t gone smoothly, what with Morgen leaving in a rush and thus skipping out on breakfast and the pot of coffee he left behind being worthless without sugar to add in. But Josele easily shrugged it off knowing that she and Morgen would likely be free to have lunch together and dinner at home was guaranteed.

Gravel crunched under sturdy boots as her brisk, confident footsteps carried Josele to her destination. Once Josele was inside, she could do what she did best.

The entrance of the building was a set of metal double doors, each with a small, rectangular window near where the two doors meant. They reminded Josele of the doors used for the buildings across her old high school’s campus. As she got closer, she noticed the windows had diagonal lines forming diamond shapes in the glass. Though, she couldn’t see into the windows as they were covered by paper.

What was that style of window called? Mutton? Josele shook her head. I think it was called muntin, actually.

Josele reached the doors, grabbed both by the handle, and turned the handles.

Interesting. One would think they’d lock the doors to this place, Josele mused as she swung the doors open.

A dingy yellow glow emanated from the lightbulbs in the entryway’s ceiling. At a glance, Josele knew some of the lightbulbs were dead, not that having all of them working would do much for the atmosphere. The walls of the room were completely bare and the paint job, white paint on concrete walls, was either left half done or it was peeling away. The flooring, too, was in a sorry state; it was impossible to tell if any given gray spot was a natural part of the tile’s pattern or if it was a scuff mark. The furniture around the room consisted of janky folded chairs, wood crates, oil drums, and old HVAC units. An open doorway in the back wall led to a stairwell.

The only thing giving the room any life were the people in the room.

Men. Six of them. Slacks with poorly fitted button-up shirts, tank tops paired with sweats, or just everyday streetwear were the outfits of choice for the men. One was in the middle of smoking a cigarette. Two were chatting over beer bottles. Another stood in a back corner and was on the phone. And the last two were looking at a magazine that Josele was certain she didn’t want to know the contents of.

In the second it took for Josele to take in the whole room, the men took notice of her.

“The hell?”

“Alright, who didn’t lock the damn door?!”

“Ya’ get lost in the area, lady? I don’t think ya’ belong in a place like this.”

Josele cocked her head to the side, grinned, and said, “I’m not lost. I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

Her answer finally made the men wary. Their looks of confusion hardened into glares.

“Gonna fight us all al—?”

Shrlk!

“Akh…”

Thmp.

Before the man—the one who had been smoking close to the double doors—could finish his sentence, a knife had been lodged into his throat courtesy of Josele.

“Holy shit!”

“Evander!”

“Damn you!”

The remaining men reached for guns they kept on their bodies. Meanwhile, Josele was already running towards the next two closest to her, the ones who’d been reading the seedy magazine. She targeted one with an upward kick to his hand.

Crack!

His hand flopped limply at the wrist, not broken beyond repair but definitely left useless for the time being. His firearm clattered to the floor.

At the same time, Josele grabbed the second man by the wrist, the same hand which held his gun, and forced him to point his gun at his ally.

Bang!

Josele grabbed the man’s other wrist while he was still reeling from his unintended kill. She twisted both of his arms behind his back until she heard the shoulders pop out of place and the man scream from the pain. With him incapacitated, Josele swung his body around, just in time to absorb the fire from the other three men. She dropped the man as he let out his last groans. Her attention turned to the rest of her targets.

Another cacophony of bangs rang out. None of the bullets made contact though. Josele, though, easily pivoted around the gunfire before rushing in close.

“She dodged them? H-how?!” one of the still living men said in a state of growing panic. “That’s not even—”

“Just keep shooting, dammit!”

The gunfire continued. Josele, too, kept going.

Josele closed in on the two men who’d been drinking together. She pulled a knife from the lining of each boot she wore and threw them. The blades struck the men in the hands they used to wield their firearms, making them drop the weapons. Then when she was close enough, Josele jumped into the air, as though she were aiming to leap over the two. That wasn’t her goal though. Rather, she pulled her knees up to her chest at the same time as she reached for the men’s outer shoulders. She grabbed the men and guided herself into kneeing both squarely in their noses.

The momentum sent the men stumbling toward the wall behind them. Before the men and she herself hit the wall, Josele swung her body forward so instead of her face, her feet made contact with the wall. She kicked off the surface and toward the final man. He was already running for the stairwell.

Josele rolled into her landing then sprinted after the man. As she ran, she pulled out a new knife, this time from a sheath attached to the back of her belt. She scaled up the steps and caught sight of her fleeing target as he seemed to be catching himself after ramming in a wall in his haste. That second was all she needed to throw her knife into his achilles tendon.

His scream only had a second to be heard before Josele had her hand over his mouth. Her fingers pressed into the sides of his face as she jerked the man’s neck simultaneously to swiping a blade— the same knife she’d thrown at his ankle was already removed to use again—through his flesh. Crimson blood flew, following after the motion of Josele’s arm, and splattered on the floor and wall. A low gurgling sound came from the man as Josele let him fall to the ground. The last embers of life left him like the blood that oozed from his neck.

No one else has come to confront me, Josele realized as she took the gun from the corpse. She’d traveled light for this mission but it wasn’t like she was going to not make use of everything at her disposal. Meaning that these goons were the only one’s here. Or maybe whoever else is upstairs didn’t hear.

Josele climbed the stairs. She stopped at the building’s second floor and swept it for any more enemies. Aside from a room storing weapons though, there wasn’t any danger present. Which left the third floor. On the third floor, there was a bathroom, a clean-looking sitting room where business deals would likely be discussed, and a third room that Josele still had to check.

She paused outside the door. A shadow briefly crossed the bottom gap of the door, moving to the side of the entrance where the door would swing towards once opened. Even if she hadn’t seen the shadow, Josele also heard the tap of footsteps and the rush of air being breathed by whoever was on the other side of the door.

They’re hoping the door will block my line of sight and make me susceptible to a sneak attack. How quaint. Josele eyed the frame of the door. I should have at least a centimeter of space between the door and the frame when I open it…

One moment to take a deep breath. Another moment to prep the “borrowed” gun for fire. And then, Josele turned the doorknob and pushed it open.

Bang!

“Gahk!”

Josele rushed into the room. She rounded the open door and came face-to-face with a woman, likely the same age as herself, with dirty blond hair pulled into a bun on the back of her hair. Her clothes were much nicer than that of the men who’d been there when Josele entered the building. Seems she got paid a bit more than the men Josele had already killed. The woman had a gun in one hand while her other was preoccupied with holding a wound in her side.

“How the hell did you—?”

“It doesn’t matter how I knew. What matters is that I was the one to get the drop on you,” Josele responded flatly. “Now—”

She stopped upon seeing the blonde raise her gun.

Bang!

Bang!

The bullet intended for Josele was intercepted by one fired by Josele, and both clinked on the floor. For good measure, Josele shot the woman’s hand holding her firearm. The woman let out a scream which drowned out the sound of her gun hitting the floor. The momentum of the gun being thrown from the blonde’s hand caused it to slide further behind the woman. If the blonde wanted her gun, she’d need to turn her back to Josele to make a lunge for it. And if she did that, she was as good as dead and she knew it.

Josele watched as her opponent’s eyes went wide, from shock and fear. That was always a good sign.

“You’re Artemis, a high ranking member of the Cortrell Family, aren’t you?” Josele asked, as if the shoot off never occurred.

The blonde. said nothing and grit her teeth.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Josele stepped forward and “Artemis” stepped back. The slow, quiet chase was put to an end when “Artemis’s” back finally hit the wall behind her. Josele grinned at the sight of her prey cornered.

“Now let me introduce myself.” Josele touched her hand to her chest. “You may call me Diana. Ironic, isn’t it? The Roman and Greek names of the same deity facing off. But the difference between us made this a rather unfair match.”

The space between the women shrunk until “Artemis” was in arm’s reach of Josele.

“I’m actually disappointed by how boring this whole mission was,” Josele stated with a sigh and tired smile. “A three story building and several rooms but all I got to face were some unskilled grunts and an equally unskilled higher associate. You seem less like a mafia family and more like some ragtag thugs posing as mafia.”

“Artemis” let out an indignant growl then spat at Josele, “Quit it with the speech. Just kill me if that’s your job.”

For a moment, Josele said nothing but let out another sigh.

“It’s true that I’m here to kill you. But I was told to at least attempt interrogating you first. So!” Josele shot her open hand forward and grabbed “Artemis” by her throat. “Why don’t you answer some questions for me?”

“Artemis” wheezed as she clawed at Josele’s arm with her bloody hands. Josele, however, gave no reaction to her desperation.

“Tell me, “Artemis,” do any of these names sound familiar? Nash. Shirley. Kariya. Nadia. Marie.” With each name Josele whispered, the wider “Artemis’s” eyes grew. “So you are familiar with them! Wonderful! Now can you tell me where your organization of scumbags has taken them?”

“I don’t know,” “Artemis” choked out. “My crew just collec—Ack!”

Josele’s grip grew tighter. In response, “Artemis” squirmed, very weakly but the effort alone was commendable.

“Try again. Tell me where—”

The sound of a piano suddenly playing cut Josele off. It was her phone. And the particular ringtone playing belonged to her husband.

“Hold on just a moment,” Josele told “Artemis” before releasing her grip on the other woman. However, she didn’t give “Artemis” long to breathe easy and quickly raised her leg and pinned her to the wall with a foot to her neck. She brought her phone out, hit the button to answer, and put the phone to her ear.

[“Morning, my dearest sweetheart!”]

“Hiya honey!” Josele practically chirped her reply, feeling her heart flutter from the sound of Morgen’s angelic voice. But then she remembered where she was and panic spiked in her. “What’s with the sudden call? Are you picking me up to go out for lunch today?”

[“Unfortunately not. I’ll be staying at the workplace for the rest of the day,”] answered Morgen; he laughed but it was hollow. [“And don’t you think about guilt tripping me about not taking you for lunch after skipping breakfast, I feel guilty enough as it is.”]

Josele’s shoulders relaxed and she giggled. Morgen was so cute the way he worried about disappointing her.

“Morgen, I wasn’t going to guilt trip you,” Josele reassured him. “I’m actually relieved you aren’t coming to pick me up.”

[“Oh?”]

“I’m out running errands,” Josele quickly said. It wasn’t a total lie but it wasn’t entirely the truth either. “And I don’t want you coming home to me not be—”

“Urk!” “Artemis let out a weak sound as she continued to choke but Josele knew instinctively that it would’ve been loud enough for Morgen to hear “Koff!” The cough was even louder.

[“Josie, is everything okay over there?”]

I’m fine but this situation isn’t great, Josele thought as she resisted the urge to groan. “Not entirely?” Josele glared at “Artemis.” She should’ve been more clear and told the woman to keep quiet. “Seems like someone’s struggling to breathe. They might pass out by the looks of it.”

[“You better grab help then!”] Ever the kind soul, Morgen was worried about a total stranger without knowing how much the person didn’t deserve his sympathy. [“Actually, hang up and call medical services!”]

“Y-yeah, I should,” Josele replied as she pressed her foot more firmly on “Artemis’s” throat. “Artemis” began to pale as she lost more air. “At least I know how to resuscitate if need be…”

[“My heart…”] Morgen’s concerned voice came through after a second. [“I beg of you, don’t volunteer to resuscitate the person if they need it. Remember, last time you did it for me, you broke one of my ribs…”]

Josele cringed at the memory. She really hadn’t meant to be so rough with Morgen but she was desperate to save her husband.

“But Morgen,” Josele started, doing her best to keep her voice steady. “It’s not uncommon for ribs to break when performing chest compressions on someone.”

[“Mmm… Still… Better not to risk it. I’ll hang up and let you call help now.”]

Josele had no plans to call for help. But Morgen hanging up was ideal at the moment.

“Right then. Goodbye, my love.”

[“Goodbye, my precious heart…”]

The second the call ended, Josele removed her foot from “Artemis’s” throat and spun on her leg to kick the side of the woman’s head. “Artemis” cried out in pain as she was thrown to the floor. She was bleeding from the head, but still alive.

“You should’ve kept quiet and not ruined the moment I had with my husband,” Josele hissed. “But I’ll forgive that mistake if you tell me what I want to know.” Josele locked her gaze on her victim and cocked her head to the side. “So? What’ll it be?”

After that, “Artemis” spilled everything she knew. The names of her associates, the addresses of their hideouts, and where the kidnapped children were being taken. Josele made sure every detail of “Artemis’s” confession was recorded on the second, work-related phone she carried on her person.

It only took a chop to the throat to knock out “Artemis.” Josele was then free to call her boss.

“Hello, Dis— I mean, Miss Vampire. It’s me.” As Josele talked, she combed her fingers through her mussed hair. She’d need to clean herself up properly when she got home.

[“I assume that my favorite assassin is calling because the mission is already done.”]

“Yeah.” Josele set her phone to speaker and put it on the floor. “I got the info we were looking for. I already sent the voice recording.” She peeled off her plain, long-sleeved shirt to reveal a floral-patterned blouse being worn underneath. “I’ve still got ‘Artmetis’ alive if you want a more thorough interrogation though.” She wiggled her boots off and pulled down her pants.

[“I’ll send the clean up crew to collect her and tidy up your mess.”]

Josele pouted. “Hey! It’s not my fault that killing is naturally very dirty!” She kicked off her blood-stained cargo pants to be left in skinny jeans. “Oh, by the way, I’m leaving a bit of laundry behind.”

[“You can do your own laundry, I know you can!”] The voice on the other side of the call laughed before taking on a serious tone again. [“But I suppose stains like those would arouse suspicion. And someone as innocent as your husband could never know the truth, huh?”]

Josele’s chest felt tight at the mention of Morgen. Josele took pride in her work, removing filth and protecting the innocents of the city. But she still felt guilty on some level because she was something she could never share with Morgen.

Morgen, her bright-as-the-sun husband. Her shining beacon. Her tender, loving other half. The one part of her life that was normal.

Morgen worked at a hospital and saved lives as a doctor. He helped the vulnerable and suffering as a natural instinct of his. He did it all from giving medical advice to performing in-depth surgeries. His patients adored him and his gentle manner of approaching topics as scary as disease and he was called a hero by the people whose lives he’d saved in the past. His colleagues also praised his earnest work ethic. And that kindness of his was needed in a world as troubled as the one he and Josele lived in.

As for Josele, she would commit whatever violence was needed of her. Death was left in her wake as she reaped evil while Morgen nurtured life and goodness. Josele vowed that her dark path was for the sake of Morgen’s light.

[loosesodamarble]

Omni luci est umbra Chapter 1: The Stag

Summary: Morgen is the boss of a mafia family. His works to find those in need and help them in underhanded and illegal ways. It's dirty work, but he does it for the sake of keeping the city clean for his beloved wife, Josele. Genre: general, romance Word count: ~2500 A/N: This is written to happen in the same world as @thoughtfullyrainynightmare's Mafia AU. Next chapter

..........

To every light there is a shadow.

Shadows and darkness. Many in the world are wary of such things. For shadows hide danger and evil. As filth gathers, it always looks dark, whether it be sheets of grime or piles of sludge. The dark is undesirable.

But one must consider how shadows are created. Shadows are the product of light being cast onto an object and some of the light being blocked by whatever it’s hitting. Light will eventually be blocked by something and thus a shadow will be born of every light.

As such, even good intentions can lead to cruel and devious acts. If righteous intent is obstructed by another party, then a shadow of sinfulness will be cast.

.....

Morgen groaned and stretched as soon as he stepped out of his car. The morning was off to a bad start: he slept through his alarms, ran out of sugar for his coffee, and he had to stop for gas on the way to work making him run even further behind schedule. But he’d finally arrived at the office and was ready to work.

Or so Morgen told himself.

A yawn breached Morgen’s lips and he had to brush tears from his eyes.

“I stayed up too late…” he muttered. Morgen  remotely locked his car while walking to the parking garage’s elevator that would lift him straight into the office building. “But hey, it’s not like anyone is going to compl—”

The buzz of his phone cut Morgen off. He checked his notifications and saw Nacht had messaged him. Morgen opened his phone and immediately reeled from the wall of text on his screen.

[You had better have a damn good explanation for yourself Morgen Edelweiss Faust—]

Ugh, he did not just use my full name to scold me… Morgen cringed and glanced at more of the text.

He pressed the button to call the elevator.

[I don’t care if you’re the boss of the company and can set your own hours, there is an expectation for you to set an example—]

With a soft chime, the elevator arrived and Morgen stepped inside.

[You’re better than this! We both know that! You’re supposed to be the wise, reliable, orderly—]

Morgen put away his phone. He’d read the full message later.

He took a moment to touch up his hair and smooth out his suit before the elevator doors opened. On the other side of the door stood one of the office’s employees, Fragil Tormenta, carrying with her a briefcase. The young woman startled for a second but composed herself and nervously smiling at Morgen.

“Oh! Good morning, Mister Faust,” she said with a curt bow of her head. “How funny that I see you coming in just as I’m leaving.”

“Ah, working in the field today?” Morgen asked as he stepped out of the elevator and held the door for Fragil to step in. “By your behavior, it’s nothing urgent, right?”

“A casual check in with our regular customers and such,” Fragil answered.

“Well then, do your best out there. Make sure our customers always know that we’ll be here to help them.”

With an encouraging smile and wave goodbye, Morgen let Fragil go on her way. Then, he strode through the halls and to the reception area. The staff that worked the front desk greeted him with smiles and warm “good mornings,” as per usual. The trio of receptionists—Eric, Cob, and Lucy—greeted him.

“Although this morning is a little late, huh?” one of them, Eric, joked.

“Terribly sorry about that,” Morgen said with a chuckle. “But at least I’m not late for any meetings.”

“But you are late to pick up the cases you need to review,” Julia, the newest hire and yet a feisty lady, snidely remarked. “I dropped off the files in your office already so you wasted your time coming here to grab them.”

Eric and Cob chuckled at Morgen’s bashful smile and Lucy’s smug grin. Morgen thanked his staff for their work then went on his way.

He went back to the employee elevator to ride it to the fifth and top floor. The elevator opened up to a small hall that acted as a waiting area outside of Morgen’s office. No one was there so Morgen entered his office without any more delay.

The office was spacious and Morgen did his best to fill the room. One wall of the office had windows to let natural light stream in, and there was furniture placed between each window to fill the space. A potted plant here. A console table with framed photos there. There was even a minifridge to store refreshments and a cabinet of crockery to serve visitors. The opposite wall was home to a few bookshelves lined with folders and binders which were for work, as well as some books for recreational reading. Morgen’s desk was situated near the back wall of the room, opposite to the door. On top of the desk, his computer and a tiered letter tray was set up. Behind the desk sat a trunk where he kept some of his work-related equipment.

Not that he was going to need it that day, but always having it ready to grab proved useful in the past.

Morgen sat at his desk and immediately started reviewing the cases that had been left for him.

Client: L.P. Male. Twenty-two years of age. Was recently struck in a hit-and-run, causing severe damage to his internal organs, most notably his lungs. Being a recent college graduate and having only worked part-time until recently meant he didn’t have enough savings to cover the cost of the multiple surgeries he’d need to recover. He was in need of an underground doctor that would take the meager pay he could offer.

Multiple surgeries are going to be quite costly and time-consuming. Since he’s strapped for cash, we can figure out an alternative payment method. Morgen flipped through the more detailed documents on the potential client. Trained martial artist. International tournament champion even. He wouldn’t be able to teach for several months… but maybe he can write up some lesson plans for our members.

Morgen signed the main case document, noting that the case would be accepted. He added a memo about the “alternate payment” the client could provide. As for who would be assigned to this job…

For work as extensive as this, I’ll have to do it myself and have another of our more experienced doctors with me. No risks with this one, Morgen decided as he wrote his name in on the document as the team member to oversee the case.

Client: R.S. Female. Twenty-five years of age. Believes she’s being stalked, that she had been stalked for more than a year now. The police refused to take action due to “insufficient evidence towards the claims made.”

Irritation boiled in Morgen’s chest as he read through the case. He had no sympathy for stalkers whatsoever. Stalkers, like the one harassing the potential client, claimed to “love” their victims but their actions were anything but loving. Genuine love should never have a person fearing for their safety. All stalkers did was terrorize, draining people of their joy and treating their victims like objects to be possessed.

Morgen signed off on the case and assigned Nacht to investigate the stalker. The task of putting the bastard out of their misery would likely be delegated to another organization though.

Although… I certainly wouldn’t mind doing the deed myself, Morgen mused as he set aside the case file. Damn stalkers. What a bunch of worthless wastes of space in the world they are.

Client: C.E. Male. Twenty-five years of age. A former soldier in the army. He was discharged after sustaining grievous injuries from being caught in the blast of an explosion. The scars he was left with were disfiguring and people treated him like a pariah for them. Unfortunately, government benefits wouldn’t cover the cost since it was cosmetic surgery not necessary to treat or prevent any symptoms or illness. The client was desperate for a way to start over, thus he turned to the Aqua Deer not only for an illegal surgery but also to have a new identity forged for himself.

Reading the client’s full background made Morgen’s chest ache. This client gave his time and risked his life for the nation, only to be denied aid because what he sought didn’t fit into a certain criteria set by the government. To betray someone who put themselves on the line for the sake of a nation was scum behavior on the government’s part.

Morgen accepted the case, already knowing that part of the client’s payment would be his old identity. Then, somewhere down the line, the company would likely sell the name to someone else looking to start anew. It was a cycle that worked out for Morgen’s company, as unlikely as it seemed.

One case after another, Morgen read the clients’ predicaments and requests. His heart broke multiple times, reading about how so many people in the city suffered. The official authorities that should’ve brought protection and relief failed in their jobs. And that was why Morgen was there, why the Aqua Deer mafia existed.

Some job requests were taken without hesitation. Others were set aside to be passed onto a different mafia family that would be better suited to the situation.

Morgen finally reached the final case.

Client: N.K. Female. Thirty-one years of age. A wife and mother of two children. The husband was abusive. It was normal for him to raise his voice at the potential client. Punching walls and kicking furniture was also a regular occurrence. However, a recent incident of her husband throwing her against a wall during an argument  She only married the man because of an accidental pregnancy. She wanted to leave but she didn’t have the resources. No personal bank account, no car, and minimal work experience. Not only that but both of the children—who she was determined to bring with her—were under six.

Disgusting. The lowest of low in society, Morgen thought as he glared at the paper. That man isn’t only spitting upon the idea of love but the duty of marriage.

Morgen drummed his fingers against the surface of his desk. He would take the case to be sure. But he had to consider how to either extract the woman and children from their predicament or how to remove the husband.

Quickly, he turned to his computer. The database that Marx and Takeru put together would certainly contain this man’s records.

Criminal record is all small offenses, dammit. I can’t work with a guy whose worst offenses are DUIs and petty theft cases. Morgen’s frown deepened into a scowl. I could manufacture a crime. He clicked through the files and landed on the man’s medical records. He’s O-negative?

The detail stuck out to Morgen, recalling a meeting he had with Fragil and the other doctors. There was a patient in need of a blood transfusion. However, they were type O-negative and the Aqua Deer had none of that type in reserve.

But now… The universe had presented the perfect donor for Morgen to use.

Working out how the Aqua Deer would proceed with the case Morgen had accepted would come later. For now, he needed to get away from his desk and stretch. And since he was giving himself a short break…

Morgen called Josele, his beloved wife. He waited through a couple of rings before his call was picked up.

“Morning, my dearest sweetheart!” Morgen greeted without missing a beat.

[“Hiya honey!”] Josele’s gorgeous voice came through the speaker and right into Morgen’s ear. [“What’s with the sudden call? Are you picking me up to go out for lunch today?”] As usual, she sounded upbeat and content.

“Unfortunately not. I’ll be staying at the workplace for the rest of the day,” answered Morgen with a weak chuckle. “And don’t you think about guilt tripping me about not taking you for lunch after skipping breakfast, I feel guilty enough as it is.”

[“Morgen, I wasn’t going to guilt trip you,”] Josele cooed, making Morgen swoon at the thought of Josele’s smile as she spoke. [“I’m actually relieved you aren’t coming to pick me up.”]

“Oh?” A bitter feeling almost sprung up in Morgen’s heart but he stamped it out as fast as he could. Josele isn’t saying she doesn’t want to see me. That’s completely twisting her words! Morgen told himself. But if I find out that Nacht decided to drop by and hang out with Josie after he complained to me about not setting an example as a leader—!

[“I’m out running errands and I don’t want you coming home to me not be—”]

[“Urk! Koff!”]

Morgen raised a brow at the odd sound that came from the other side of the call but not from Josele. Odder still, it sounded like someone was struggling for breath. Maybe even choking.

“Josie, is everything okay over there?” Morgen asked, his heart rate rising again.

[“Not entirely?”] Josele’s questioning tone was odd given her answer. [“Seems like someone’s struggling to breathe. They might pass out by the looks of it.”]

“You better grab help then! Actually, hang up and call medical services!” Morgen blurted out.

[“Y-yeah, I should. At least I know how to resuscitate if need be…”]

“My heart… I beg of you, don’t volunteer to resuscitate the person if they need it. Remember, last time you did it for me, you broke one of my ribs…”

As kind as she was, Josele was a powerful woman. Morgen couldn’t recall when she became so overwhelmingly strong or if she was always a bit of a superwoman. But she was strong and sometimes forgot to rein in her strength.

[“But Morgen, it’s not uncommon for ribs to break when performing chest compressions on someone,”] Josele meekly argued.

“Mmm… Still… Better not to risk it,” Morgen said as he felt a cold sweat come to his skin at the thought of Josele unintentionally breaking some poor individual’s ribs while trying to help them. “I’ll hang up and let you call help now.”

[“Right then. Goodbye, my love.”]

“Goodbye, my precious heart…”

And with a cold, digital beep, the call ended.

“Oh Josele…” Morgen flicked to his phone’s photo album and started looking through all the pictures he had of Josele.

Josele, his beautiful wife. His beating heart. His sweetness and happiness. The one part of his life that was normal.

Josele worked as a coach at a local fitness center, advising people on their training regimes and teaching martial arts classes. Regulars at the center were grateful for Josele’s flexible approaches and optimism for each customer. Many also admired her physical prowess, though Josele always reminded people not to put her on a pedestal or set goals based on her abilities. Her strength was part of her beauty, in Morgen’s humble opinion. Thankfully, Josele didn’t need to use that power of hers to fight for survival or remove any undesirables from society.

That’s what Morgen was for. He worked in the underground to help those who were cast aside or abused, to right the wrongs created by those in “official” power. He would dirty himself with his “business” while Josele lived a peaceful, normal life.

[loosesodamarble]

Morgen: I'm off for a mission. I'll return to you, Josele. (kisses her) See you later, Yami! (waves) Josele: I'll be waiting, Morgen~! Yami: See ya. (waits for Morgen to leave the room) So why doesn't he kiss me goodbye? Josele: Are you genuinely asking that? Yami: I can't help it if I want to be shown a little more love. Josele: Oh Yami...